Marshall State Fish & Wildlife Area
🏆🏆🏆 Wabash Valley — Managed wetlands and forest in the Wabash River valley — where Illinois meets Indiana
Marshall State Fish & Wildlife Area protects wetlands and forest in Clark County along the Wabash River valley — the historic border between Illinois and Indiana. The Wabash was one of the great rivers of the frontier era, immortalized in the state song of Indiana (“On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away”). George Rogers Clark captured the British Fort Sackville at Vincennes (just across the river) in 1779 — one of the decisive campaigns of the American Revolution in the west.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Clark County, IL |
| Entry Fee | Free |
| River | Wabash — IL/IN border! |
| History | Clark’s 1779 Fort Sackville nearby! |
About Marshall
Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area in Clark County provides hunting and fishing opportunities in eastern Illinois near the Indiana border. The area features managed grasslands, food plots, and farm ponds that support ring-necked pheasants, bobwhite quail, and white-tailed deer in the agricultural landscape.
Things to Do
Hunting (pheasant, quail, deer, dove), fishing in the farm ponds, and birdwatching. The managed grasslands support good upland game bird populations.
About Marshall
Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area in Clark County provides outdoor recreation on the former Marshall Army Airfield — a World War II training base converted to wildlife habitat. The transition from military base to natural area demonstrates how abandoned military lands can serve conservation. The area includes restored prairie, forest, and wetlands.
Things to Do
Hunting (deer, turkey, upland birds — seasonal), fishing, hiking on former airfield roads, birdwatching, and observing the ecological recovery of a former military site.
Insider Tips
Wetland management: Marshall FWA manages bottomland forest and wetland habitat along the Illinois River — critical waterfowl staging habitat. Pro tip: The managed wetlands are drawn down in summer to grow food plants — then flooded in fall to attract migrating ducks and geese. Duck hunting: Marshall is one of central Illinois’s premier public duck hunting areas — the Illinois River flyway is legendary.
Best Time to Visit
Fall: Waterfowl migration and duck season. Spring: Shorebird migration on mudflats. Summer: Fishing and birding. Winter: Eagle watching.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Illinois River important for waterfowl?
The Illinois River valley is one of the most important waterfowl corridors in North America — millions of ducks and geese funnel through each fall. The river’s extensive bottomland wetlands provide food and resting habitat. Illinois historically harvested more ducks than any other state east of the Mississippi.
Wildlife & Nature
Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area in Clark County provides managed recreation in the Wabash River lowlands of eastern Illinois. The Wabash — forming 200 miles of the Illinois-Indiana border — is one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the eastern United States. The river’s floodplain forests and wetlands support diverse fish and wildlife communities. Channel catfish, flathead catfish, and smallmouth bass inhabit the river. Wood ducks — arguably North America’s most beautiful duck with their iridescent green, purple, and chestnut plumage — nest in tree cavities along the river. White-tailed deer are managed through seasonal hunting. Eastern wild turkeys — whose restoration is one of wildlife management’s greatest success stories — gobble from the forest ridges in spring.
Nearby Attractions
Marshall is a historic community on the National Road (US Route 40). Lincoln Trail State Park preserves the route Abraham Lincoln’s family took entering Illinois from Indiana in 1830. Mill Creek Park near Marshall has a covered bridge. Paris — the Edgar County seat — has a replica of the Eiffel Tower. Terre Haute (Indiana) — across the Wabash — offers the Terre Haute Children’s Museum and Swope Art Museum. Turkey Run State Park (Indiana) provides canyon hiking.
